From the Head of Knox Sports and Aquatic Academy

Mr Martin Haywood

Summer sport nominations
This week all students should have received an email from the sports department asking for sport nominations for this coming Summer. Sport is a vital part of the Knox Total Fitness philosophy and I urge you to take the time to consider the right sport for your son and commit to that program. All boys in Week 4 will be given a training schedule and any trial details for the remainder of Term 3. This can also be found on our Knox Portal.

Reminder – Athletics takes precedence over summer sport for this term then a full summer commitment is expected from Term 4. If you have any queries regarding which sport to choose or the commitment required please do not hesitate to call or email the Sports Department.

It is vital for our preparations and planning with venues and coaches that ALL boys complete the nomination by Friday 28 July.

Holiday break
There is much to report from the most recent holiday break with tours, camps, representative trials and activities galore. It is difficult to fit everything into one week’s Bulletin!

UK Cricket tour to the UK

27 boys and 5 staff enjoyed a magnificent English Summer for almost three weeks travelling around the country side and playing some good, hard cricket in preparation for our Summer ahead. Whilst our boys had a short preparation and we were playing against schools at the height of their Summer and in great form, our boys performed remarkably well both on and off the pitch. Apart from the 10 games of Cricket in 15 days, there was also plenty to learn historically and culturally from our English friends. Some of the relationships formed with schools in England over the years from previous tours (home & abroad) will be with Knox forever and cannot be taken for granted. Our boys did not let us down and strengthened our bond with all schools. Our boys were very fortunate and will have some great memories for a long time and possibly some new friends on the opposite side of the world.

Snow Sport Tour
75 Knox students travelled to Perisher and Thredbo and competed in the Regional Interschools Championships. Knox is the Regional Champion snowboard school for the 3rd year in a row and after six days of racing only 8 points separated us from 1st place as the overall Regional Snowsports Champion School. A detailed report follows below. We are very proud of all the boys and staff at both Perisher and Thredbo.

Track & Field Gold Coast Tour
21 boys and 4 staff ramped up their preparation for the season ahead with a tough “pre-season / conditioning” tour in a competitive environment through the holidays up on the Gold Coast. The tour was a great chance to build team culture and expectations set by our coaching staff and by all reports was a very successful trip.

It has to be said, whilst a lot of time and effort goes into these sports tours such as those listed above, it is not until you see the impact the trips have on all boys that you realise the real value of touring abroad. A great experience that I hope all boys get the opportunity to one day experience.

Camps
Many boys attended the Knox Football camp at Curagul Field and Camp Wallaby at Gillespie Fields. There were many smiling faces at the end of a tough camp and I hope the boys can take that enthusiasm into the final few games of CAS this term.

Arsene Wenger
Our Head Coach of Knox Football was fortunate to be invited to an exclusive breakfast with Mr Arsene Wenger whilst Arsenal were in Sydney on a pre season tour last week.

It was great to hear Mr Lammert share some insights from that meeting on managing various scenarios thrown at us. Arsene Wenger has certainly been through a lot in the EPL and for him to share some of these difficulties and how to deal with them then to raise the FA Cup was a great thrill for Mr Lammert. We are very fortunate to have Kai as part of our Football staff.

Week ahead
We host St Aloysius’ College in the majority of fixtures this Saturday. The 1st XI Football is a much anticipated match with St Aloysius currently occupying first place in the CAS competition and Knox just one point behind. The CAS title is on the line and I know the team would love as much support as possible up at Curagul Field on Saturday. Good Luck everyone.

Training schedule
As per normal winter schedule for remaining three weeks of season. Good luck for a great Term 3.

Basketball Skills Clinics

Knox Water Safety and Swim Skills Program

The Knox Sport and Aquatic Academy is proud to announce the inaugural Water Safety & Swim Skills Program.

This program will provide essential swimming and water safety skills to students at the Senior School to help prepare them for the summer ahead.

The program will include the following skills:
•Introduction to water & swimming
•Water Safety
•Movement through the water and underwater including kicking
•Freestyle, backstroke and introduction of other strokes
•Introduction to diving underwater

The program is targeted at current students who would like to learn the basic skills of swimming to enable them to enjoy the Australian Water Lifestyle. It is not intended for proficient swimmers.

Cost: Free of charge
Day and time: Saturday mornings, 9am-10am
Program dates: The program will be conducted on Saturday mornings in Term 3, Weeks 4-8.
Year groups: This program is offered to students in Years 7-12.

This program is perfect for students who are at the beginning of their swimming journey.

To express your interest or for further information, please email Mr Nick Warby.

Barney Allen, Dylan Gay, Angus Kellaway, Jack Bregenhoj, Harrison Muller, Oscar Press, Luke Parks, Nicholas Dijohn and Sydney Robertson from Whale Beach Patrol 9 were recognised with performing the “Rescue of the Year”. The mass rescue conducted on Saturday 26 November 2016, involved several swimmers who were swept into a rip before requiring additional patient care and hospitalisation once they were brought back to shore.

A report from the incident stated “Just before 2pm some of our newest Bronze Medallion holders, Luke Parks and Angus Kellaway who were standing at the waters edge noticed three swimmers get swept from the sandbank and into a dangerous rip. The boys quickly asked for backup and informed Patrol Captain Oliver Bownes (OKG). Luke Parks grabbed a board while Richard Leonard used a tube and fins to head out through the 2m surf conditions and offer assistance to the swimmers.” The report further states “It is remarkable that only a week after obtaining their Bronze Medallion that these boys and girls were not only responsive and diligent, but showed maturity beyond their years. Congratulations to all of the Whale Beach Patrol 9 members on a successful mass rescue.”

This Patrol Group has now been nominated for “Rescue of the Year” at the NSW level.

A number of Knox Students were also recognised for outstanding service to Whale Beach SLSC during the past summer. Award recipients included:

Of these achievements, Whale Beach SLSC President Andrew Pearce stated “Whale Beach SLSC is very proud of its long association with Knox Grammar. Many Old Boys continue to be members in the Club and it's fabulous to see the next generation coming through and making their mark. Congratulations and well done to all!”

Knox Water Polo players represent NSW at Sydney Youth Water Polo Festival
Over the holidays, several Knox students have made their mark on the Water Polo scene, representing New South Wales against each Australian state at the Sydney Youth Water Polo Festival.

Our students went through a rigorous process last term to be selected for these teams, which came to fruition with several great performances and results during the competition in the holidays. Our representatives across various NSW Teams included Nicholas Trobec, Antonio Matruglio, Sam Matruglio, Gabriel Carmody, Lachlan Reeve, Tyler Krenkels and Patrick Hogan.

Reports stated that all of our boys experienced very credible results. Nicholas Trobec’s team, U16 NSW Blues had their very own State of Origin match-up in the Grand Final against a tough Queensland Team, with NSW winning 6-5. This included Nicholas scoring a total of 10 goals throughout the tournament to help secure the Gold Medal for his team. Further reports state that it was ‘mate vs mate’ in the U14’s competition with Lachlan Reeve’s team (NSW Blues) taking on Tyler Krenkels team (NSW Waratahs) in the finals with a Gold and Silver medal being awarded respectively.

Following the Sydney Youth Festival, Nicholas, Antonio, Patrick and Tyler boarded a plane with team mates from the Sydney University Water Polo Club bound for a Water Polo Tour of Malta. Through out the holidays, Sam Matruglio, Gabe Carmody and Alexander Mercer were also involved representing Sydney University in Santa Barbara. Congratulations on these students for representing NSW, Knox and their club to the highest standard.

Knox-Pymble Gain Second Place in NSW Metropolitan Championships
Last weekend 30 Knox students competed at the NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships. With a total of 1200 swimmers competing at this event, Knox continued it’s fine swimming form, with the Knox-Pymble Swim Club gaining 2nd place in NSW (behind Carslile).

Our students performed admirably, with several medal winning performances, including:

Cricket Tour to the UK

Mr Julien Manuel, Director of Cricket

At the end of last term, 27 boys made up of boys from Years 9 to 11 and 5 members of staff set off on the UK cricket tour.

Over 16 days the touring party travelled by bus from one side of England to the other playing nearly a whole season’s worth of cricket during this time. We were extremely fortunate to be able to play against some of England’s oldest schools, some as old as 500 years, with facilities that were better than most facilities and grounds outside of the test grounds in Australia.

Ed Toole
•31 not out vs Portsmouth Grammar School
•4 for 20 vs Saffron Waldron High School

Viruna Tennakoon
•40 vs Royal Grammar School

Max Glover
•41 vs Royal Grammar School

Jason Whiffen
•62 vs Hurstpierpoint St James Montefiore

In between games of cricket we had the chance to do some sightseeing. From the University town of Oxford where we toured the Christ Church College where many of the iconic scenes from 'Harry Potter' were filmed, Warwick Castle and its famous dungeon, HMS Victory and The Mary Rose, King Henry VIII’s flagship in Portsmouth, the Roman Baths in Bath, Leeds Castle and the Pier in Brighton. We were able to get a good feel for the history of the country we were travelling in by seeing some of England’s most famous and scenic sites.

All the schools were extremely welcoming and went to enormous lengths to make us feel at home. When we stayed in the boarding houses, the food was fantastic and the accommodation was extremely comfortable. The accommodation in the boarding houses was a mix of staying in our own rooms and in large dorms. We were also lucky enough to be billeted by different English families on two occasions and therefore we gained an insight into family life in England.

Football

Mr Stephen Roche, Director of Football

This July School Holidays saw a record numbers of very keen young Footballers attending our football clinics.

87 boys and girls attended the camps over the last two weeks learning valuable skills in the lead up to the second part of the Knox Football season.
Boys and Girls from all over Sydney took advantage of the professional football coaches we have available at Knox and undoubtedly improved their skills and enjoyed the competitive and fun filled camp environment.

Further to our successful school holiday camps the year 8 to 1st XI teams all had some quality training sessions over the last two weeks.

The 1st and 2nd XI squad braved the cold winter days training in the morning to prepare to challenge for another Thomas Grimson Cup trophy.
The Year 8 boys look to further climb the ladder while our Year 9 boys hope to stay on top. The Year 10 boys enjoyed a solid season so far with only 1 point behind the league leaders.

All teams and coaches enjoyed their holiday training and can’t wait for the next CAS round after the school holidays.

Outdoor Sports

Mr Kieran Donohue, Director of Outdoor Sports

Track and Field Tour - Gold Coast
Knox Track & Field kicked off the season by taking a team of 21 students to the Gold Coast for three days of competition over the July school holidays. The tour saw Knox competing against some of the best high school athletes from the United States at the aptly named “DownUnder Track & Field Meet” at Griffith University Athletics Centre.

The tour was designed to serve a number of purposes - the first shakeout of the season, testing our athletes against the best athletes both nationally and internationally, and of course some team-building for the ever growing track and field team.

Head coach, Nick Bromley, was confident that the tour achieved all three outcomes simultaneously. “In general, we were really happy with the results and while not every outcome was perfect, it was a great opportunity to begin to build some resilience amongst our athletes. As the track and field program continues to grow over the next two months, performances will be built as much on strength of character as it is around getting the technical elements right.”

Highlights of the meet included:
• The Knox Grammar team consisting of Jasper Spiller, Lewis Clabburn, Charles Barclay and Joshua Batten coming from behind to win the Under 18 4 x 400m Relay in a time of 3:37.15.
• Aidan Lau (Yr. 7) achieving a bronze medal in the Under 16s Long Jump (competing up TWO age groups) with a jump of 4.95m.
• Mitchell Westhuizen and Joshua Tait completing the “double double” coming first and second in both the Under 16s 1500m and 3000m run.
• Team captain, Jackson Ellis, gaining a silver medal in the Under 20s 110m hurdles with a time of 15:49

Knox Season Launch
Director of Outdoor Sports, Kieran Donohue, also welcomed over 80 parents and students to the Knox Track & Field season launch at Freshwater Surf Lifesaving Club on Sunday 16 July.

The launch marked the official start of the Track & Field season and was a great way to unveil our complete coaching panel to all students and parents.

“We are really excited to have now completed our coaching structure for the Knox Track & Field program in the lead-up to the CAS season,” suggested Mr Donohue. “We have an experienced panel of head coaches for each discipline, with both national and international experience.”

“The coaching panel is extremely well rounded, with each head coach bringing something different to the team. Nick Bromley (Head Coach of Track & Field) knows what it takes to reach the pinnacle of the sport, having competed at the international level, including a Commonwealth Games. Cathy Walsh, (Head Coach of Sprints/Hurdles) has a knack of getting the most out of each and every athlete and is considered one of the best sprint coaches in the country.

Richard Frost (Head Coach of Jumps) has a wealth of experience in grassroots athletics and a real development mindset, having built Mosman Little A’s into one of the strongest clubs in NSW. Nick Sawaszenko (Head Coach of Throws) has experience coaching some of the best athletes in both Australia and Europe and has a real eye for the technical nature of the sport. We are extremely excited to see what the new track & field season brings.”

A big thanks to Chairperson of the Knox Track & Field Parent Supporter Group, Laurel Thomson, for organising the event.

Training for the Knox Track & Field program continues every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 6:45am at Gillespie Fields for anyone who is interested in representing Knox at the CAS Championships.

Orienteering
METROLEAGUE
Knox’s Orienteering team competed in Round 3 of the MetrOLeague over the school holidays, with two teams competing at the North Turramurra course. With limited numbers, we performed incredibly well, taking out many top places. While being a challenging opens competition, in a professional environment, all students remained incredibly focussed and tenacious.

Congratulations to Oscar Spiers in Division 4, particularly, for placing third in a difficult round! In division 3, our team acquired 2 of the top 4 places, while being narrowly beaten on a full count of scores.

The fourth and second last round of the MetrOLeague is held this Sunday 23 July at Allambie Heights.

TERM 3
The three final weeks of Winter Orienteering will see a culmination of skills learned during Term 2 for three finals-standard courses and training events. This Saturday also sees the Knox MetrOLeague Teams represent the Knox Orienteers at a state opens level for the fourth round of the competition. Placing competitively during the first three rounds, we wish all competitors the very best!

NSW STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
As the current NSW State Champion Schools Team, we are thoroughly looking forward to the opportunity to compete again at the NSW School State Championships from 19 August - 20 August. Any student who has orienteered in 2017 or 2016 is highly encouraged and invited to join the representative team. Please find the permission note here. All applications must be submitted to Dylan Sherman before Tuesday 1 August to participate.

Twenty of our teams have qualified for the state titles held at the end of August.

Tennis

Mr Ben Higgins, Director of Racquet Sports

During the June/ July holidays a few of our boys played in some tennis tournaments. This helped keep the boy’s standard up and also improve their Tennis Australia ranking. Some of the highlights were as follows:

Uniform

Any student attending any Knox sporting fixture and/or venue must be properly attired in either track suit or school uniform.

No Dogs Allowed Policy

To improve safety of the students and visitors to the school, we have a No Dogs Allowed policy. Dogs are prohibited, leashed or unleashed, on school grounds, unless they are assistance dogs, security patrol dogs or police dogs.

Dogs may not be brought onto any Knox Grammar School property, including the Prep and Senior School campuses and all playing fields, including Curagul and Gillespie Fields.

Signage has been installed and our Security Team has been asked to let parents and carers know that we are a dog-free school. If you bring a dog onto school property, you may be approached by the School's Security Team and asked to leave.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding on this safety initiative.

Parking for Saturday sport at the Senior School

Due to construction of our exciting new Knox Performing Arts Centre/Junior Secondary Academy, we are no longer able to provide parking at Woodville Ave for families attending sports fixtures at the Senior School campus. Parking is available in the Borambil Street underground carpark for weekend sport. Where possible, we encourage boys and parents to use public transport for travel to and from the Senior School campus.